Flotation attachment



Nov. 28, 1967 J. HARDING ETAL FLOTATION ATTACHMENT (MARK 5 LIFE PRESERVER) Filed July 7, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JONATHAN HARDlNG JOHN J. MELLON, JR. BY WILLIAM T. SCHRANDT MLMM ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1967 J. HARDING ETAL 3,354,480

FLOTATION ATTACHMENT (MARK 5 LIFE PRESERVER) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1966 INVENTOR JONATHAN HARDING JOHN J. MELLCN JR. WILLIAM T. SCHRANDT BY o-ae x..w

ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1967 J. HARDING ETAL FLOTATION ATTACHMENT (MARK 5 LIFE PRESERVER) Filed July 7, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JONATHAN HARDING, JOHN J. MELLON JR. BY WILLIAM T. SCHRANDT MLM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,354,480 FLOTATION ATTACHMENT (MARK LIFE PRESERVER) Jonathan Harding, Camden, John J. Mellon, Jr., Woodbury Heights, and William T. Schrandt, Verga, NJ., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed July 7, 1966, Ser. No. 564,508 6 (ilaims. (Cl. 9-316) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject invention relates to an improved inflatable water survival garment which includes a pair of separate flotation compartments. The flotation compartments consisting of a collar lobe and two interconnected body lobes are integrated into the survival garment so as to ensure proper buoyant support and to provide comfort in use in either an inflated or deflated condition.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved life preserver and more particularly to a novel and improved life preserver which can be integrated in a flight and survival garment so as to enhance in-flight suitability by eliminating interference with operational movement, to provide maximum dry wear comfort and to provide superior flotation capability in the water.

Due to severe space and weight limitations, life preservers used aboard military aircraft are necessarily of the gas inflatable type rather than preservers that employ a lighter than water solid material as the buoyant medium. Current widely used inflatable preservers are generally a yoke/vest or underarm type configuration. In presently used yoke/vest type preservers, the deflated assembly is draped around the neck and rests flat on the wearers chest and upper back. When the yoke/vest preserver is inflated, the wearers head and variously arranged straps retain the preserver in its proper relationship on the wearers body in order to provide elfective flotation capability. Expansion of the yoke/vest type preserver, however, often causes restriction of head movement, choking and severe irritation and chafing about the wearers chin and neck. Moreover, the shoulder and chest portions of .the yoke/vest preserver must be limited in size so as not to interfere with other equipment and wearer maneuverability during flight operations. Such size limitations, in turn, limit the buoyancy characteristics of the preserver.

Underarm type inflatable preservers are usually folded compactly and stowed within special envelopes that are secured about the wearers torso by adjustable straps. When inflated, this preserver rises to a position under the armpits of the wearer and supports him in a hanging position. Although the underarm preserver can be fabricated to provde greater buoyancy than the yoke/ vest type preserver, it can not be readily designed so as to quickly ensure a face-up disposition of the wearer in the water at all times. The wearer of the underarm type preserver can float in the water on his face as well as on his back. Moreover, rupture of one of the flotation units of the underarm preserver causes the wearer to float on his side so as to often cause the drowning of a severely injured or unconscious wearer.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable life preserver which combines characteristics of minimum interference with the wearers operational movements, maximum dry 3,354,486 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 wear comfort and maximum safe flotation capability in the Water.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable preserver that includes two independent flotation compartments either or both of Which provide safe and proper buoyancy of the wearer.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable preserver which includes collar and body lobes in optimum locations with respect to the wearers body to ensure proper buoyant thrust and support.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved inflatable preserver which is integrated in a survival garment in a unique and improved manner.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved preserver of the present invention when the preserver is in its deflated condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the improved preserver of the present invention when the preserver is in its inflated condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collar and body lobes and the back section of the improved preserver of the invention when the same are separated from the survival garment in which it is worn;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the pockets of the survival garment when the body lobe of the improved preserver of the invention has been removed; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the improved preserver of the present invention adjacent the point at which its back section is connected to its collar lobe.

Referring now to the various figures of the drawing, it will be noted that the preferred embodiment of the invention includes a collar flotation lobe 3, a pair of body flotation lobes 5 and 7, and a generally U-shaped back section 9 which interconnects the collar and body lobes. The collar lobe 3, the body lobes 5 and 7, and the back section 9 of the preserver are constructed of light weight neoprene coated nylon, polyurethane coated nylon, rubber or any gas retaining elastic material. Compartmentation of the preserver is designed so that the body lobes 5 and 7 are interconnected through an air or fluid channel 11 that extends through both halves of the back section 9 of the preserver to form one gas compartment. The CO inflation device 13 and the inflation device 15 respectively allow automatic or oral inflation of this compartment of the preserver. The collar lobe 3 which is connected to the automatic CO inflation device 17 through the air or fluid channel 19 that extends through one side of the back section 9 of the preserver forms the other compartment of the preserver. The inflation device 21 permits oral inflation of this compartment of the preserver. Thus, it will be noted that with the exception of the dual channel portion of one side of its back section, the preserver consists entirely of a single two layer construction with superimposed type seams. This feature of the invention minimizes the bulk of the preserver and permits increased maneuverability of the survivor, particularly when the preserver is not inflated. A plurality of sponge rubber spacers 23 are preferably secured to the inner surface of one of the layers of each channel of the back section of the preserver to facilitate the flow of air or CO therethrough. The ring 25 and snap hook 27 on body lobes 5 and 7 are provided to interconnect the same after the preserver has been inflated.

Inasmuch as the CO inflation devices 13 and 17 per se form no part of the present invention, the details of the same are not included herein for the sake of simplicity. For a full understanding of the invention, it need only be understood that the device includes a pair of CO cartridges with seals which are punctured by a lever actuated piercing pin when the lanyard or the like 29 is pulled. Similarly, for an understanding of the inflation device 15 and 21, it'need only be understood that each oral inflation device includes a valve which when operated permits oral inflation or deflation of its associated compartment. A suitable pocket or the like is preferably affixed to the preserver as at 31 and 33 to receive the end of the oral inflation device when not in use.

The collar lobe 3 of the preserver is secured to the rear of the collar of the survival suit by means of the snap devices 35 and 37 and to the front of the suit by the snap devices on tabs 39 and 41. When the preserver is deflated, the lapel 43 of the suit is folded over the collar lobe 3 and secured in its folded condition by means of suitable hook and pile strips. The back section 9 of the preserver extends downwardly through an aperture in the rear of the lapel 43 between layers of the suit and out an aperture 45 in each pocket 47 on opposite sides of the suit. The CO inflation devices 13 and 17 extend through an aperture 49 in the side 51 of each slitted pocket 47 and are normally maintained in position at the base of each pocket 47 by the fabric loops 53 and 55. Each of the body lobes of the preserver is also secured to the inner lapel 57 of its respective pocket 47 by a pair of removable bolts and nuts or the like which respectively extend through the apertures 59 and 61 in the lapel 57 and apertures in tabs 63 and 65 secured to the body lobes. When the preserver is deflated, the body lobes and 7 and the inner lapel 57 are folded into their respective pockets 47, the juxtaposed edges of the slitted pockets are secured together by the hook and pile fasteners 67 and 69, and the outer lapel 71 of each pocket is folded down and secured to the pocket by hook and pile fasteners 73 and 75. The elongated nylon loop 77 which is secured adjacent one edge of the slitted pocket is inserted through the aperture 79 adjacent the other edge of the slitted pocket and through the aperture 81 in the outer lapel 71. The Teflon pin 83 which is attached to the lanyard 29 of each CO inflation device is normally positioned through the outer extremity of the loop 77. The pocket tab 85 is then folded over its associated CO inflation device and is fixed in that position by the hook and pile devices 87 and 89.

In operation, when the pilot or person wearing the suit desires to inflate the preserver, he grasps and pulls the lanyards 29 attached to the CO inflation devices 13 and 17. In pulling lanyards 29, the Teflon pins 83 are Withdrawn from the nylon loops 77 on pockets 47 and levers of the CO devices actuate firing pins that puncture the CO cartridges in inflation devices 13 and 17 When pressurized CO is directed through the channel 19 in back section 9 of the preserver to the collar lobe 3, the resulting inflation and expansion of the collar lobe 3 automatically disengages the hook and pile fasteners on the collar of the suit and the inflated collar lobe pops out about the pilots neck. Pressurized CO also simultaneously inflates body lobes 5 and 7 of the preserver through channel 11 of back section 9. When the Teflon pins 83 Withdrawn from loops 77, inflation and expansion of the body lobes automatically disengages the various pocket hook and pile fasteners 81 and 87, 73 and and 67 and 69 and the inflated body lobes pop out as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable life preserver integrated in a survival garment, said preserver comprising:

(a) a first fluid compartment that includes a collar lobe;

(b) means for inflating the collar lobe;

(c) a second fluid compartment that includes a pair of body lobes;

(d) means for inflating the pair of body lobes;

(e) and a back section which includes a first fluid channel that interconnects the body lobes of the preserver and which includes a second fluid channel that interconnects the collar lobe of the preserver with its inflating means.

2. The inflatable preserver substantially as described in claim 1 wherein the means for inflating the collar and body lobes include pressurized CO devices.

3. The inflatable preserver substantially as described in claim 2 wherein the means for inflating the collar and body lobes also include oral inflation devices.

4. The inflatable preserver substantially as described in claim 3 wherein the survival garment has a collar lapel and wherein when the preserver is deflated, the collar lapel of the garment is folded over the collar lobe and secured in its folded condition by means of hook and pile fasteners.

5. The inflatable preserver substantially as described in claim 4- wherein when the preserver is deflated, the body lobes are folded into pockets disposed waist high on either side of the front of the garment.

6. The inflatable preserver substantially as described in claim 5 wherein the body lobes of the preserver remain fixed within the pockets of the garment until the pressurized CO devices for the collar and body lobes are actuated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 691,341 l/l902 Gore 9336 X 2,210,809 8/1940 Gray 9340 X 2,607,934 8/1952 Bailke 9341 2,782,430 2/1957 Radnofsky 9-316 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,005 8/ 1908 Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner,

T. BUCKMAN, Assistant Examiner, 

1. AN INFLATABLE LIFE PRESERVER INTEGRATED IN A SURVIVAL GARMENT, SAID PRESERVER COMPRISING: (A) A FIRST FLUID COMPARTMENT THAT INCLUDES A COLLAR LOBE; (B) MEANS FOR INFLATING THE COLLAR LOBE; (C) A SECOND FLUID COMPARTMENT THAT INCLUDES A PAIR OF BODY LOBES; (D) MEANS FOR INFLATING THE PAIR OF BODY LOBES; (E) AND A BACK SECTION WHICH INCLUDES A FIRST FLUID CHANNEL THAT INTERCONNECTS THE BODY OF THE PRESERVER AND WHICH INCLUDES A SECOND FLUID CHANNEL THAT INTERCONNECTS THE COLLAR LOBE OF THE PRESERVER WITH ITS INFLATING MEANS. 